When we took our visitors to Pancake Rocks a week ago, we also went to Punakaiki Caverns. This is a cave just down the hill from Pancake Rocks. Gayle and all the children have been there many times, but I had never been inside. It was delightful to be able to go into a cave without a guide and just look around!
Esther is headed into the entrance to the cave, at the base of this cliff.
Going in!
There are several levels to the cave. The boys went up to the upper levels. I did not.
This is another opening, but to use it as an exit requires climbing up this cliff, then clambering down one equally steep, on the outside!
I went around this corner, to a lower level. There were a few stalactites here and there, but mostly just damp sandstone.
Here are some of the best stalactites.
Miss Joy thought it was pretty fun to touch the walls and ceiling!
Three of our boys headed much deeper into the cave than anyone else. I got pictures from Mr. Diligence’s memory card.
See Simon’s coat? By the time the three boys emerged, he was completely covered, from head to toe, with that cave-smelling sand. I should have gotten a photo of them when they came out, but I didn’t think of it till after they had scrubbed off in the sea.
While we were at Punakaiki, we stopped at a gift shop, and this giant croc was there. Miss Joy fit into it!
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